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About Dr. Dessureau
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 Dr. Brian
Dessureau is a licensed psychologist and Health Services
Provider who specializes in neuropsychology. Dr. Dessureau received his
doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Clark University in Worcester,
Massachusetts, and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Adult and
Pediatric Neuropsychology at UMass Medical School/UMass Memorial
Medical Center. Dr. Dessureau is an Assistant Professor within the
Department of Neurology at UMass Medical School, with a special focus
on pediatric neuropsychology.
Dr. Dessureau specializes in
the neuropsychological assessment of a broad range of pediatric
cognitive and learning problems, with a focus on accurate diagnosis of
the underlying cause of each child's difficulties. Areas of expertise
include the broad range of learning disabilities, the pervasive
developmental disorders including Asperger's disorder, and cognitive
problems related to various neurological or processing disorders. Each
assessment includes comprehensive planning for how to manage the
individual child's difficulties within the home and school environment,
and focuses on both strengths and weaknesses in order to develop a
comprehensive plan for care, support, and improvement. Dr. Dessureau
also provides behaviorally-focused psychotherapy to families in order
to assist in implementing these plans for change. |
- Neuropsychological
Evaluations
- Psychoeducational
Evaluations
- Psychological
Evaluations
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Getting the services that your child needs from
the school system can sometimes be a difficult and confusing process,
but here are some tips to make the process more manageable and
beneficial to your child:
- Be
confident!
If your child has a learning or other disability, and that disability
impacts your child's educational performance, then he/she legally
qualifies for services within the school, according to both federal and
state law (see links below).
- Be informed!
Ask questions of everyone involved in the care of your child, from the
neuropsychologist who conducted the assessment, to his/her teachers, to
the Special Education team members. The more you know, the
more
effective you can be at advocating for your child.
- Be organized!
Know what accommodations or services you want for you child, and if
possible, keep that list to a reasonable number, usually 4-6 specific
goals. The huge lists of accommodations seen on websites and
in books
are meant to be general- pare that list down to those that are most
important for your child.
- Be involved!
Always be sure to attend all school meetings regarding your child, help
out with their homework, and keep in touch with his/her
teacher. There
is no substitute for knowing firsthand what is happening with your
child.
- Be positive!
It's
best to try to maintain a positive attitude when working with the
school. In most cases, they also want your child to succeed,
and if
you a display a willingness to work effectively with them, they will
often be more motivated to help your child.
- Get help.
When all of the above fails, be aware that professional help is
available. Contact the psychologist or neuropsychologist who
conducted
the assessment, and consider hiring an Education Advocate to help
navigate this complex system. These services are available to
you here
at Pediatric Behavioral Health.
Federal Law (IDEA): http://www.nichcy.org/idealaw.htm
Massachusetts State Law: http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/gl-71b-toc.htm
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